The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1887-09-16


the Bigots," and the text "Then said they
unto him, Say now shibboleth,' and h,
said 'Sibbolcth,' for he could not frame &c
pronounce it right. Then they took him
and slew him at the passages OF Jordan
Judges, xii, 8.
Do you notice the difference Of pronun.
citation between shibboleth and sibboleth,
A very small and unimportant difference
you say. And yet that difference was the
difference between life and death for
a great many people. The Lords
people, Gilead and Ephraim, got into
q great fight, and Ephraim was
worsted, and on the retreat came TO
the fords Of the river Jordan to cross.
Order was given that all Ephraimites
coming there be slain. But how could il
be found out who were Ephraimitesi They
were detected by their pronunciation
Shibboleth was word that stood for river.
The Ephraimites had a brogue Of their
own, and when they tried TO say
shibboleth always left out the sound Of the
Oh" When it was asked that they say
shibboleth they said sibboleth, and were
slain. "Then said they unto him: Say now
shibboleth;' and he said sibboleth, for he
IL
Then they took him, and slew him at the
passages Of Jordan" A very small diff
ference, you say, between Gilead and
Ephraim, and yet how much intolerance
about that small difference! The Lords
tribes in our time-by which l mean the
different denominations Of Christians
sometimes magnify a very small differ
ence, and the only difference between
scores of denominations to-day is the diff
ference between shibboleth and sibboleth.
The Church of God is divided into a
great number Of denominations. Time
would fail me to tell of the Calvinsts, and
the Armerians, and the Sabbatarians, and
the Baxterians and the Dunkers, and the
Shakers, and the Quakers, and the Meth
odists, and the Baptists, and the Episco-
palians, and the Lutherans and the Con-
gregationalists, and the Pres5yterians, and
the Spiritualsts, and score of other de-
nominations of religionists, some of them
founded by very good men, some of them
founded by very egotistic men, and some
OF them founded by very bad mon. But as
/ demand for myself liberty Of conscience,
] must give that same liberty to every
other man, remembering that he no more
cate the largest liberty in all religious be-
lief and form Of worship. In art, in poll
tics, in morals and in religion let there be
no gag law, no moving of the previous
question, no persecution, no intolerance.
+" You know that the air and water keep
pure by constant circulation, and think
there is a tendency in religious discussion
to publication and moral health. Between
the fourth and sixteenth centuries the
church proposed to make people think
Alright by prohibiting discussion and by
strong censorship Of the press, and,
by rack and gibbet and hot lead down
the throat, tried to make people
orthodox; but it was discovered that you
can not change mans belief by twisting
of his head, and that you can not make a
nan see things differently by putting an
lwl through his eyes. There is something |
N mans conscience which will hurl off |
he mountain that you threw upon it, and, |
insnged of the fire, out OF the flame will |
make red wings on which the martyr will |
Mount to glory.
In that time Of which / speak, between |
he fourth and sixteenth centuries, people |
vent from the house of God into the most |
appalling iniquity, and right along by con-
ecrated affairs there were tides of drunk
'nness and RIGHTEOUSNESS such as the
world never heard of, and the very sewers
u perdition broke hose and flooded the
hurch. After awhile the printing press
vas freed, and it broke the shackles Of tho
Iuman mind. Then there came a large
lumber of bad books, but where there was
ne man hostile to the Christian religion
hnra ttxra w 20 nd, 20 !
!; so have not any nervousness in regard
this battle going on between Truth and
,rror.
The truth will conquer just as certainly
s that God Is stronger than the devil.
.et Error run II you only let Truth run
long with it. Urged on by skeptic's
nout and transcendentalists spur, let it
un. Gods angels of wrath are in hot
ursuit, and quicker than eagles beak
lutches out hawks heart Gods ven
eance will tear 1t to pieces.
1 propose this morning to speak TO you
sectarianism-its origin, its evils and
9 cures. There are those who would
lake US think that this monster with
arms and hoofs, Is religion. shall chase
TO its hiding place, and drive IL out of
ie caverns OF darkness, and rip of its
ide. But i want to make distinction
etween bigotry and the lawful fondness
'r peculiar religious beliefs and forms Of
'orship. Ihave no admiration for moth
igsrian.
In world Of such tremendous vicissi-
ide and temptation, and with soul that
Just after while. stand before throne
insunerable brightness In day when
10 BOOKINGS OF the mountains and the
aiming OF the heavens and tho upheaval
the 500 shall DO among tho least Of the
TO give account for every
fought, word, action, preference and dis